The Federal Budgetary Process

The paper outlines the federal budget process as it affects highway safety programs. There are a variety of federal programs which come under the umbrella designation highway safety. Those programs that directly affect the driving environment are administered primarily by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), most often thought of in terms of passenger and vehicle safety, has a broad statutory mandate for safety. In addition, other agencies, such as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the General Accounting Office (GAO), have an impact on highway safety matters. The author discusses the Executive Branch as the originator, and then the executor of highway programs. In between those two steps, the Congressional budget process unfolds.